Electric-current-generating plant.



E. R. WITZEL.

ELECTRIC CURRENT GENERATING PLANT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1914. RENEWED MAR. 14,1916.

1 ,202,632. Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

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E. R. WITZEL. ELECTRIC CURRENT GENERATING PLANT. APPLICATIGN FILED JUNE6.1914- RENEWED MAR. 14, 1916.

1,202,632. Patented 0m. 24, 1916.

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EARL R. WITZEL, 0F DES 1V[OINES, IOWA.

ELECTRIC-CURRENT-GENERATING PLANT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

Application filed .Tune 6, 1914, Serial No. 843,486. Renewed March 14,1916. Serial No. 84,236.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL R. WITZEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, haveinvented new and useful Im- .provements in Electric-Current-Generatingthe battery to the generator'to operate the latter asa motor whereby thehydrocarbon operation by means. of a low voltage battery wherein thebattery current will be used only to operate the generator as a motorand so crankthe hydrocarbon engine when a 'load is placed across theload circuit'and whereinthe hydrocarbonfengine and generator will beautomatically stopped when the load is taken off the load circuit, orthe current passing through such circuit reduced toa predeterminedvalue. p

A still further object of my invention is theprovi'sio'n'of an electricgenerating plant. which will be entirely automatic in operation andwhich will be brought into service 'when a load is'placed upon the loadcircuit and out out of service when the load circuit is-broken.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forthin and falling within the scopeof the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of anelectric current generating plant constructed in accordance with thepresentinvention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of one of thecontrolling relays. Fig. 3 is a similar view of another controllingrelay.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1 deslgnates a battery which ispreferably, although not necessarily, of the storage or accumulatortype.

3 and 4 designate an ammeter and voltmeter respectively, while 5and 6designate relays respectively.

In the present instance, the relay 5 comprises a vertically disposedelectromagnet having a fine Wire coil 7 of a large number of turns and acoarse wire coil 8 of a small number of turns, and a horizontal armature9 disposed below the magnet and under the influence of the pole thereof.One end of the armature 9 is pivoted as at 10, while secured to theunder face thereof at the opposite end is a block 11 preferably composedof insulating material. Disposed below the last-mentioned end of thearmature 9 1s a horizontal spring contact strip 12 having'one endsecured to the panel board as- Mounted above the contact point 14 is alug tact screw 19 having the lower extremity.

thereof disposed immediately adjacent to the contact point 17 on thearmature; As long as the windings of the magnet of the relay 5 remaindeenergized the armature 9 is disengaged from the pole face of themagnet and the insulating block 11 on the outer end of the armaturerests upon the spring contact 12 thereby forcing the latter down andholding the contact point 14 out of engagement with the adjacent'end ofthe contact screw 16, while the contact point 17 on the upper surface ofthe armature is held spaced apart from the adjacent extremity of thecontact screw 19. On the other hand, however, when one or both of thewindings of the magnet of the relay is energized, the armature '9 swingsupwardly about the pivoted end thereof and the contact point 17 thereonengages the adjacent end of the contact screw 19, While the blockllreleases the spring contact 12 thereby permitting the latter to swingthe contact point 14 into engagement with the proximate end of thecontact screw 16.

In this embodiment of my invention, the

- relay 6 comprises an electromagnet disposed in a vertical plane andhaving the coils thereof formed of a single length of wire, and ahorizontal armature '20 disposed below the magnet of the relay 6 and inproximity to the pole faces thereof and having one end pivoted as at 21and the opposit extremity equipped with a depending bloc 22 ofinsulating material. .Fast to the upper surface of the armature adjacentto the outer end thereof is a contact spring 23,

while disposed above the contact spring 23 is a lug 24formed with avertical threaded aperture through which is passed a contactscrew 25having the lower extremity thereof disposed in proximity to the contactscrew 23 and adapted to be engaged thereby. Extending upwardly from theupper surface of the armature 20 at the outer end thereof is a contactpoint 26 and mounted above the contact point 26 is a lug 27 formed witha vertical threaded aperture through which is passed a contact screw 28having the lower extremity thereof disposed in proximity to the contactpoint 26 and adapted to be engaged thereby and in a plane above thelower extremity of the contact screw 25 so that the contact spring 23will engage the contact screw 25 previous to the point 26 engaging theadjacent end of the contact screw 28 in the upward movement of thearmature 20 under the action of the coils of the relay 6. A horizontalspring strip 29;preferably constructed of brass is disposed belowthearmature 20 and has one end fastened to the panel board as at 30 and theopposite extremity disposed immediately below the block 22 on thearmature 20. Depending from the free extremity of the spring strip 29 isa contact point 31 disposed above a contact screw 32 threaded through-avertical opening in a lug 33. As long as the winding of the relay 6 isdeenergized, the armature 20 is spaced apart from the pole faces of themagnet of the relay and the block 22 thereon rests upon the spring strip29 thereby pressing the latter downwardly and holding the contact point31 in engagement with the adjacent extremity of the contact point 32. Onthe other hand, when the magnet of the relay 6 is energized, thearmature 20 thereof is.

drawn upwardly thereby engaging the contact spring 23 with the adjacentextremity of the contact screw 25 and when the coils of the relay areenergized to their full capacity the-armature 20 is swung upwardlyagainst the tension exerted by the tension of the spring 23 on thecontact screw, to engage the contact point 26 with the adjacentextremity of the contact screw 28. In the initial upward movement of thearmature 20 to engage the contact spring 23 and contact screw 25, theblock 22 releases the spring strip 29 and the latter rebounds or reactsand so disengages the contact point 31 from the contact screw 32.

Leading from one terminal of the battery 1 is a conductor 34 having thefree terminal thereof connected with a binding post 35 and extendingfrom the binding post 35 is a conductor 36 tapped onto the spring strip29. Leading from the lug 33 carrying the contact screw 32 is a conductor37 connected to one terminal of the winding 7 of the relay 5 and leadingfrom theopposite terminal of such windlng is a conductor 38 connectedwith a binding post 39. From the opposite side of the battery 1 leads aconductor 40 connected with a binding post 41 disposed adjacent to thebinding post 35, While extending from the binding post 41 is a conductor42 extending through the ammeter 3 and tapped onto a bindingpost 43 inproximity to the binding post 39. Connected to the binding posts 39 and43 are the terminals of a load circuitor line 44 41, while leading fromthe opposite side ofthe'arma-t'ure winding is a conductor 48 terminallyconnected to a binding post 49. Leading from the binding post-49 is aconductor 50 tapped onto the pivoted end 21 of the armature 20 of therelay 6. The shunt field winding of the generator includes a conductor51 connected with a binding post 52 disposed adjacent to the bindingpost 49, a conductor 53 extending from the binding post 52 and includingthe field rheostat 54 and connected with one side of the coil of therelay 6, and a conductor 55 leading from the remaining terminal of thecoil of the relay and tapped onto the conductor 42 adjacent to theconnection between the lastmentioncd conductor and the binding post 41.Leading from the lug 15 carrying the of the armature 9, while extendingfrom the lug 18 carrying the contact screw 19 is a conductor 62 havingthe free terminal thereof tapped onto the conductor 50 at the connection of the latter conductor with the armature 20. Leading from thecontact screw 25 is a conductor 63 tapped onto the terminal of thewinding 7 of the relay 5 connected with the conductor 37.

In practice, when a lamp switch is closed or other load placed on theload circuit the battery 1 is connected with the line, current flowingfrom one side of the battery,

- through the conductor 34, binding post 35,

conductor 36, spring strip 29, contact point 31, contact screw 32 inengagement with such contact point, conductor '37, winding thereof,relay 5, conductor 38, binding post 39, through the load line 44, backto the other side of the battery by way ofthe binding post 43, conductor42, binding post 41 and conductor 40. This battery current energizes thewinding 7 of the relay 5 so that the armature 9 is swung upwardly underthe influence of the poles of the magnet of the relay, thereby engagingthe contact point 17 with the contact screw 19 and permitting thecontact point 14 to engage the contact screw 16. When the contact point14 engages the contact screw 16, the primary circuit 60 of the ignitionsystem of the hydrocarbon engine 47 is closed. As the contact point 17engages the contact 19 the battery 1 is connected in'circuit with thedynamo electric machine to drive the latter as a motor, current flowingfrom one side of the battery 1, through the conductor 34, binding post35, conductor 36, spring strip 29, contact 'point 31, contact screw 32,conductor 61, armature 9, contact point 17 and screw 19, conductor 62,conductor 50, and back to the other side of the battery 1 through thearmature winding of the dynamo electric machinel As this current flowsthrough the armature winding of the motor generator,

a portion of such current is shunted through the field and this shuntedcurrent passes from one brush of the machine through the shunt field andconductor 51, binding post 52, conductor 53 and rheostat 54 therein, thewinding of the relay 6 and then back to the other brush of the machineby way of the conductor 55, the particular portion of the conductor 42,binding post 41 and conductor 40. The machine 46, thus energized, actsas a motor'a'nd so -places the hydrocarbon engine 47 under-initialcompression so that the latter may pick up its own cycle of op eration.Succeeding the starting of the engine, the speed of the dynamo electricma chine increases and such machine acts as 'a' generator and y when thevoltage delivered by the machine exceeds thatof the battery thestrengthiof the field increases thereby increasing the strength of thewinding of the relay 6 so that immediately that the ourrent isreversedinto the battery the armature 20 is elevated with the effect torelieve the spring strip 29 of the influence of the block 22 whereby thebattery circuit is broken at the contact point 31 and contact' screw 32and the generator connected with the load line at the contact spring 23and contact screw 25, current flowing rom one side of the generator,through the conductor 48, binding post 49, conductor '50, armature20,-contact spring 23,. contact screw 25,

conductor 63 winding 7 of the relay 5, conductor 38, binding post 39,the load line 44 and back to the other side of the generator byway ofthe binding post 43, conductor; 42, binding post 41 and conductor40. Inthe movement of the armature20 under the action of the magnet of therelay 6 to break the connection between the battery and the load lineand the battery and the generator.

and establish a connection between the'battery and the load line, theresidual magnetismof the magnet of the relay 5 is such as tomaintain thearmature 9 in elevated position during the swinging of the armature 20so that the armature 9 will not be released when the circuit of thebattery 1 is,

broken at the contact point 31 and binding screw32L As the shunt fieldof the generator builds up, the magnetic action of the relay 6 isincreased so that the armature 20 is further elevated to engage thecontact point 26 with the contactscrew-28 thereby connecting the winding8 of the relay 5 in parallel with the winding 7 thereof. Thus, as longas the load is on the line 44 the'relays 5 and 6 are energized, thegenerator connected with the load line and the ignition circuit of thehydrocarbon engine closed. When the load is removed from the line therelay '5 is deenergized thereby breaking the primary circuit of theengine ignition systemat the contact point 14 and contact screw 16. Whenthe rotation of the generatorarmature ceases succeeding the nectionbetween the generator and the load line and establishing the normalconnection between the-battery and load line so that when a load isplaced across the load circuit or line the plant will again operate aspreviously described.

In order that the battery will be cut out of service in the event offailure of the hydrocarbon engine to drive the generator or thegenerator to supply the load line with current, I employ a time circuitbreaker 64 connected in the conductor 36 and designed to operate afterthe battery current flows through the line for a predetermined time 65designates a single pole double throw switch having one contact studconnected with the conductor 38, the remaining stud connected with theconductor 36 and the pivot post connected by way of a conductor 66 withone binding post of a voltmeter 4, a conductor 67 connecting theremaining terminal of the voltmeter with the conductor 42. By means ofthis construction it will be seen that the voltmeter may be connected inparallelwith the battery when the blade of the switch 65 is thrown intoengagement with the contact stud connected with the conductor 36 andwith the generator when the blade is engaged with the contact studconnected with the conductor 38 so that the voltage of the batteryandgenerator may be at all times ascertained.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the construction and mode of operation of my improved electriccurrent generating plant will be readily understood to those skilled inthe art to which the invention appertains. It will be seen that I haveprovided an electric current generating plant wherein a low voltagebattery may be employed wherein the battery current is used only tooperate the generator as a motor to start the engine, thus permittingthe battery to discharge slowly and wherein the battery may becomposed-of cellsof small capacity. Furthermore, it will be seen thatthe switch controlling a lamp or other translating device connected inthe load circuit performs the dual function of a starting switch for theplant and a controlling switch for the lamp.

While I have herein shown and described one preferred form of myinvention by way of illustration, I wish it to be understood that I donot limit or confine myself to the precise details of constructionherein described and delineated, as modification and variation may bemade within the scope of the'claims without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

I claim:

1. In an electric generating plant, a lamp circuit, a battery connectedto said circuit and adapted to feed current therethrough upon theclosing of a lamp switch, a shunt wound dynamo-electric machine, ahydrocarbon engine, a connection between said dynamo-electric machineand engine, means connected in said lamp circuit and operable when thelatter is closed to connect the battery to the dynamo-electric machineto drive the latter as a motor whereby the engine will be placed underinitial compression to pick up its own cycle of operation, and meansunder the influence of the shunt field of said dynamo-electric machineto break the connection between the battery and lamp circuit, and thebattery and dynamo-electric machine, and connect the dynamo-electricmachine to the lamp circuit to feedthe latter when the dynamo-electricmachine delivers a certain voltage.

2. In an electric generating plant, a lamp circuit, a battery connectedto said circuit and adapted to feed current therethroughupon the closingof a lamp switch, a shunt wound dynamo-electric machine, a hydrocarbonengine, a connection between said dynamo-electric machine and engine,means connected in said lamp circuit and operable when the latter isclosed to connect the battery to the generator to drive the latter as amotor whereby the engine will be placed under initial compression topick up its own cycle of operation, means under the control of said lastmeans to close the ignition circuit of said engine simultaneously withthe operation of the dynamo-electric machine from the battery, and meansunder the influence of' the shunt field of said dynamoelectric machineto break the connection between the battery and lamp circuit and thebattery and dynamo-electric machine and connect the dynamo-electricmachine to the lamp circuit to feed the latter.

3. In an electric generating plant, a lamp circuit, a battery connectedto said circuit and adapted to'feed current therethrough upon theclosing of a lamp switch, a shunt wound dynamo-electric machine, ahydrocarbon engine, a connection between said dynamo-electric machineand engine, a relay connected in said lamp circuit and 0p erable whenthe latter is closed to connect the battery to the dynamo-electricmachine to drive the latter as a motor whereby the engine will be placedunder initial compression to pick up its own cycle of operation, and asecond relay under the influence of the shunt field of saiddynamo-electric machine to break the connection between the battery andlamp circuit and the battery and dynamo-electric machine, and connectthe dynamo-electric machine to the lamp circuit to feed the latter.

4. In an electric generating plant, a lamp circuit, a battery connectedto said circuit and adapted to feed current therethrough upon theclosing of a lamp switch, a shunt carbon engine, a connection betweensaid dynamcelectric machine and engine, a relay connected in saidlampcircuit and operbl when the latter is closed to connect the batteryto the dynamo-electric machine to drive the-latter as a motor wherebythe en gine will be placed under initial compression to pick its owncycle of operation, a second relay under the influence of the shuntfield of said dynamo electric machine to break the connection betweenthe battery and lamp circuit and the battery and dynamo e lectricmachine, and connect the dynamo eleetric machine to the lamp circuit tofeed the latter, and means under the control of said first relay toclose the primary circuit of the ignition system of said hydrocarbonengine simultaneously with the connecting of the battery to thedynamo-electric machine.

5, In an electric current generating plant, a load circuit, a batteryconnected to said circuit, a hydrocarbon engine, a dynamoelectricmachine, a connection between said dynamo-electric machine and engine,means connected in said load circuit and operable when the latter isclosed to connect the battery to the dynamo-electric machine to drivethe latter as a motor wherebythe engine will be placed under initialcompression to pick up its own cycle of operation, and means operablefrom said dynamo-electric machine as the speed of the latter increasesto break the connection between the battery and dynamo-electric machineand the battery-and the load line and connect-the dynamo-electricmachine to the load line.

6. In an electric current generating plant, a load circuit or line, abattery connected to said circuit, a. hydrocarbon engine, adynamo-electric machine,-a connection between said dynamo-electricmachine and engine, means connected in said load circuit and operablewhen the latter is closed to connect the battery to the dynamo-electricmachine to drive the latter as a motor whereby the engine will be placedunder initial compression to pickup its own cycle of operation, andmeans operable from the dynamoelectric machine to break the connectionbetween the battery and the dynamo-electric machine and the battery andload line and compression to pick up its own cycle of operation, meansoperable from the dynamoelectric machine to break the connection betweenthe battery and the dynamo-electric machine and the battery and loadline and connect the dynamo-electric machine to the load line when thedynamo-,electric-machine delivers a certain voltage, and means forbreaking the connection between the battery and load line in the eventof failure of the engine to drive the dynamo-electric machine or thedynamo-electric machine to deliver current.

8. In an electric current generating plant, a load circuit, a batteryconnected to said circuit, a hydrocarbon engine, a shunt wounddynamo-electric machine, a connection between said dynamo-electricmachine and engine, means connected in said load circuit, and'operablewhen the latter is closed to connect the battery to the dynamo-electricmachine to drive the latter as amotor,whereby the engine will be placedunder initial compression to pick up its own cycle of operation, andmeans under the influence of the shunt field of said dynamo-electricmachine to break the connection between the battery and load circuit andthe battery and dynamo-electric machine and connect the dynamo-electricmachine to the load circuit to feed the latter when the dynamoelectricmachine delivers a certain voltage.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa-' ture in presence of twowitnesses.

EARL R. WITZEL. Witnesses:

GEO. D. NEWCOM, J. M. WI'IZEL.

